Description

FREDERICK BARING RANALOW (KINGSTOWN, COUNTY DUBLIN, 7 NOVEMBER, 1873 – LONDON, 8 DECEMBER, 1953)

At the age of eight, he moved to London and sang for four years as a choirboy in St. Paul’s Cathedral. He received his training at the Royal Academy of Music under Alberto Randegger, studying both singing and cello. From the turn of the century, he appeared in musical comedies in London; in 1903, he performed with Ruth Vincent in the musical The Medal and the Maid. In 1914, he took on the role of Papageno in The Magic Flute at Covent Garden Opera in London. In 1919, he participated in the English premiere of Borodin’s Prince Igor.

In 1915, he joined the Beecham Opera Company, which performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London. There, he sang in the world premieres of Charles Stanford’s The Critic on January 14, 1916, and Dame Ethel Smyth’s The Boatswain’s Mate on January 28, 1916. He also performed as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Marke in Tristan und Isolde, the Father in Charpentier’s Louise, Varlaam in Boris Godunov, Falstaff in Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Colline in La Bohème.

In 1920, he achieved sudden popularity when he sang Captain Macheath in Frederic Austin’s memorable production of The Beggar’s Opera at the Lyric Theatre in London. He performed the role over a thousand times, including on North American tours, and became closely identified with the character. Later, he held a professorship in artistic diction at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

TRACKLIST

1. Admiral Benbow (arranged Cecil Sharp) with piano accompaniment (pianist not credited but likely to be Frederick Kiddle) R-6012 Vocalion 1919
2. Beggar’s Opera (Gay) a O Polly, you might have toy’d and kiss’d Sylvia Nelis, sop; Nellie Walker, alto b My heart was so free Frederick Ranalow, bar. c Cease your funning Sylvia Nelis, sop. D524 04294 HMV
3. Beggar’s Opera (Gay) a Were I laid on Greenland’s coast Sylvia Nelis, sop.; Frederick Ranalow, bar. b How happy I could be with either Frederick Ranalow, bar. c In the days of my youth Nellie Walker, alto; Art; Arthur Wynn, ten.; Frederic Austin, bar. D 524 04295 HMV
4. Beggar’s Opera (Gay) O cruel, cruel case… Would I might be hanged! D615 HMV
5. Faust (Gounod) Holy angels in Heaven blest with Rosina Buckman and Maurice d’Oisly L 1025 6683 Columbia
6. Floral Dance (Moss) 1126a 1538-2 Metropole 1930
7. Lute Player (Allitsen) Metropole 1126b 1539-2 Metropole 1930
8. Sincerity 2267 Winner 1912
9. The Boatswain’s Mate (Ethel Smyth) A friend and I 04183 HMV 1916
10. The Boatswain’s Mate (Ethel Smyth) Oh dear if I had known with Rosina Buckman 04185 HMV 1916
11. The Boatswain’s Mate (Ethel Smyth) The first thing to do with Buckman and Pounds 04184 HMV 1916
12. The Boatswain’s Mate (Ethel Smyth) When the sun is setting with Rosina Buckman 04183 HMV 1916